The Fox's Mind
by aeiparthenos
Summary: Vulpes Inculta has a mind of his own, strange as it may be and perhaps so has the Courier. NSFW, sexual violence, explicit violence, domestic violence.
1. Chapter 1

She was absolutely insane, a maniac and a profligate. Impudent and insubordinate, completely devoid of how a woman should behave herself, and it enraged him. She dressed like a whore, no different from the disgusting dissolute tamps who roamed the strip and Freeside. At the same time, he hadn't been able not to notice her porcelain skin under the rags she wore, those tight black jeans with tares just below the crease of her ass and over her scraped up knees. When he'd found her in the office of that doctor in Goodsprings, she'd only been dressed in a tank top and jeans, with her head bandaged up. Being so close to Nipton, the Legion had made the decision to include Goodsprings in their little lottery and there's were he'd heard about the strange courier, working for the Mojave Express, who had been shot twice in the head and somehow survived long enough to claw her way out of her own grave. _Curious_ , Vulpes had thought as he listened to the chatty woman behind the bar.

They had several agents within the Mojave Express, as did the NCR and since this courier was a woman, there was a very large possibility she was a NCR agent. It would seem Fortuna had just sent him a gift.

He had left Goodsprings that afternoon for one of his assassination squads hiding out in the mountains just above the little town. They were to make an example out of Goodsprings just as with Nipton, he decided. The more the merrier, what that not the saying? The hurt courier was his, though. His soldiers could rape and pillage all they wanted, so long as they left the courier alone.

Now he was dragging the insolent woman with him towards Nipton. She was surprisingly fierce, _for a woman_. Of course, she was well aware of what legionaries did with profligate women, she had made sure Vulpes knew that she knew. When the empty crucifixes met them once they had entered Nipton, she quieted down, much to Vulpes pleasure – he had begun to grow tired of her whining and shouting as he escorted her. He had made sure to cover her upper body up in one of the Legion's red tunics, she was, after all, not a slave and even though she was a prisoner – he wanted to keep those voluptuous curves to himself. She was a beauty, for a Wastelander and she spoke with an accent unfamiliar to the Mojave – she sounded like she was from the far east coast and her looks seemed to fit with it as well. She looked to have old-world European ancestry, with her fair skin, long black hair and large almost black eyes. Perhaps she was Bostonian? Not from DC, at least – that much Vulpes could pin out from listening to her indecent swearing. _Black Irish_ , had somehow popped up in his head, remembering an old pre-war newspaper he had found several years ago, with a discussion of the situation of the Irish on the east coast during the great emigration's from Europe to the New World 300 years ago. She was a picture of how they described what he could guess were the lowlife of the Irish immigrants; they had described them with a word he didn't know – _gypsies_. It made sense though, if she was originally from the Commonwealth.

The town of Nipton had been brought in to their unimpressive town hall for the lottery and Vulpes decided it was best to bring the courier with him and keep her close – one could never know with the dogs of recruits Aurelius had sent with him. Sure, they could crucify people well enough, but they were barbarians. Useful barbarians, of course.

"Come now, little pupa", Vulpes whispered to the courier as they entered the building filled to the brim by degenerates. "I have some work to do, but don't worry, no harm will come to you"

The courier looked at him with defiance in her large black eyes, but nodded and kept close to him, finally deciding it wasn't worth struggling. The sight of fifty legionaries probably did the trick, as well as the crosses waiting for its victims outside, and yes, the screams of whores being beaten and raped was possibly a part of it as well. They would make good slaves, if the imbeciles didn't beat them to death first. Vulpes sighed to himself and then turned to address the whores and powder gangers collected inside the town hall. The mayor, he was to be burned at the stake first – and then the fun could begin with the rest of the disgusting lot gathered in this hole of Hades.

"It is important that you watch, pupa", Vulpes told the courier as they stood on the stairs outside the town hall, watching the recruits nailing powder gangers to the crosses and then raising them from the ground.

"This is disgusting", she answered in a low, hushed voice without looking up at Vulpes.

"I know", he nodded. "But it is necessary. These people were degenerate"

"I know that", she said and it sounded almost as if she was rolling her eyes to him. "I just can't wrap my head around the fact that this gives you legion boys hard-ons"

" _Excuse me_?" Vulpes couldn't help himself from snorting.

"You get off on this, _that's_ what's disgusting – and frankly, it's _weird_. I totally get why you would kill these people, hell, I've thought about it myself when I've had to take the route through Nipton, but why do it in this way? What does it say about you, really? Except that you're all perverts"

"It _says_ ", Vulpes turned to face her, "That the Legion doesn't condone degenerate behavior, we punish as is befitting"

"It only makes people afraid of you, you know", she almost whispered.

"Of course", Vulpes nodded and she grew quiet after that.

The courier had behaved herself on the way to Fortification Hill. Well, if one didn't count chatting endlessly as bad behavior – Vulpes wasn't sure what he counted it as, if he were to be completely honest with himself. He would break her down, anyhow, eventually. Right now, he couldn't help but to enjoy her struggling and calling him foul words, it egged him on. He hadn't touched her as of yet, he savored it for now – waiting for the perfect time to force her warm, tight flesh over his. But she needed to be just right for that, she needed to be wanton, but still as fierce. During the travelling, he had provoked her enough at times to beat her into submission, and it seemed to be a good start. She was beginning to behave herself somewhat, but not enough. He didn't want her to behave herself enough, he wanted some resistance – willing, but still resistant.

She was too beautiful to be a whore, Vulpes thought as he followed her with his eyes. If she could only learn to act like a proper woman, but remain the vixen as he bedded her, he would never be able to let her go.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked as Vulpes kneeled beside the bath she was soaking in, tracing her small, but perfectly curved body with a washcloth.

"I'm not a barbarian", he answered and looked into her black eyes.

She snorted in obvious disbelief. "Do you all wash your slaves?"

"You're not, Rhia", Vulpes smiled softly towards her as he followed her full bust with the cloth.

"It fucking feels like I am. Tell me, _Vulpes Inculta_ , what am I then? Your whore? Someone to breed with? Your servant? Punching bag?"

"All good suggestions", Vulpes chuckled as he reached down to touch her hip with gentle hands. "But no"

"Then what?" she snarled, growing impatient.

"You're _mine_ "

"That means I'm a slave", she frowned.

"No, it means that I own you, but you're not a slave. I'll keep you here with me for a while, but I'm going to let you have your revenge on the man who shot you"

"What? Why?" now she looked confused, _good_. He had been afraid she'd suffered some brain damage from the wounds to her head, but as they had travelled and during the two weeks they had spent in the Fort, he'd been very pleased to see that she had not. In fact, she was intelligent, intellectual, for a Wastelander, at least.

"I'll give you everything you want, Rhiannon, as long as you're mine. Even your freedom, if that is what you want. But you should know, I'll always find you, if you try to escape"

A warm, wet hand reached out and cupped Vulpes' chin and she smiled slightly, "I wouldn't, you know that".

Vulpes leaned in and kissed her full, soft lips and she answered him with a growing heat. There had been several occasions she could have killed him, he'd even let her go armed should she want to, considering the large amount of Legion soldiers enjoying raping the slaves they brought back. Vulpes would of course execute anyone who even touched her, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Perhaps she was waiting for a good opportunity to kill him, she was still a cunning bitch, after all, but she had had many chances and still, she curled into him at night, purring. She had come running to him when someone had upset her, or when she had thought of something filling her with sorrow. She seemed content, but she still made her mind known to him, which was just what he wanted. He didn't try to spoil her, only giving her the illusion of freedom, within the Legion's lines, of course. They had fought, on occasion, but it had always ended up in heated copulation and no woman was capable of still being enraged after a handful of orgasms.

She was going to be perfect, Vulpes was certain of it.


	2. Chapter 2

The opportunities of being the wife of the leader of Imperator Caesar's Frumentarii are more or less that of an elevated slave. Her lord husband had made sure Domitia knew this, by forcing her to take a new, roman name. _Domitia_ , the last and final humiliation her beloved bestowed upon her before their marriage.

Domitia, the feminine form of Domitius – _one who has been tamed_. The Butcher of the Mojave, the head of the Frumentarii and second only to Caesar, Vulpes Inculta, was ruthless.

 _Why do fools fall in love_? Rhia did ponder that same question now and again when the song popped up in her mind. It was such a long time since she had heard it being played from a radio. In the Arizonan lands of the Legion, where the capital of Flagstaff was seated and the large city of Phoenix, there was no longer any radios. Neither were there any raiders or junkies along the mostly abandoned ways circling across the great desert lands of the Mojave. As long as you kept within the borders of the Legion, that is. The Legion was certainly efficient, but that had a lot of rules. _A lot_.

As with most citizens of the Legion-held lands, Rhia, or now officially _Domitia_ , wasn't born into the Legion. She was captured, well, not in the same sense that most women belonging to the Legion are captured, if she were to be completely honest. She could perhaps argue that her husband, insufferable as he was, _did_ both capture and enslave her.

But he didn't, did he? She was one of the few profligate women in the Legion who actually chose to become a citizen. Men quite often chose to become citizens, whole tribes willingly integrated themselves into Caesar's large army – but the women often did not. Few free women were brought into the Legion, you more or less had to be born into the Legion to be a free women. Unless you married a high-ranking legionary.

So Rhia did just that, and so far it had turned out to be more or less what she had thought. Vulpes was a liar, of course – it was his job and she knew this. But he was a good husband and provided her with comforts unimaginable in the otherwise depraved Wastelands. In Flagstaff they had a large mansion with a dozen slaves and running water. When Vulpes gained his rank of head of the Frumentarii, he simply chopped the head of the former head. Fun, right? Rhia didn't know if Vulpes actually saw it as _fun_ , but it provided a comfortable life for him and now for his wife. Well, when the Legion had taken hold of New Vegas and the entire Mojave – that is. Until then, as the devoted wife of Caesar's second, _Domitia_ was to follow her husband around every goddamn army-camp into which he was stationed. She missed her pool, she really, _really_ did. She had only had the opportunity to get acquainted with her new pool for a week, just after they'd married in the temple of the Legion capital.

Vulpes Inculta was a ruthless and sadistic sneaky, cunning bastard. Rhia hadn't told him that in at least several weeks, last time she tried to remind him of this, she ended up with stitches just above her right ear and a split lip. The women belonging to the Legion were to know their place, _decorum_ , as Vulpes calmly told her. Of course, he realized it would take her some time to ease into the culture of the Legion and he gave her time. But as her husband, he needed to punish her when she humiliated his kindness. He _had_ to. Rhia understood this perfectly well, but her problem was more in the lines of having an impudent personality combined with possible brain damage and this was nothing she could help. Vulpes knew this as well and he didn't blame her, he simply needed to kick it out of her, beat it away and ravish her until she clearly understood her place. It had taken some time, but Rhia was getting there and she was oddly proud of herself, of her accomplishments. _Cui caput dolet, Omnia membra languent_ , Vulpes told her. Yeah, yeah, when the head is sick, the whole body is sick. Of course, dear husband.

He was a man of few words, a stoic figure with a statuesque look about him, never really revealing more than he ever needed to. It was something he had practised for a long time, being able to completely close himself off to every emotion, depending on the situation. Rhia had noticed, that even as he assaulted her in a fit of rage, it was only through his steely, light blue eyes she could see the fiery rage that was boiling within him. But man, was he ever gorgeous? Who ever could resist a tall, well-muscled man with broad shoulders in a tunic? Not Rhia, that's for sure. His large, piercing eyes and high cheekbones, sharp chin and chiselled nose didn't exactly make it any better. That combined with thick, chocolate brown short hair, made her knees weak. And he knew it, he knew it so badly it was offensive and humiliating.

Rhia had fought him at first, he did actually _capture_ her, after all. He did. There was no going around it, and perhaps he could have treated her slightly less harsh in the beginning, but he soon learned to soften the blows with sweet words and soft kisses from those voluptuous lips of his. When he nuzzled her neck from behind, she became weak in her knees and the feel of his lips against her skin was almost enough to bring her close to an orgasm. Damn him, fucking domineering tyrant – but oh, how she loved him. It hadn't taken long before she found herself in love with her capturer. It was almost inevitable; there was simply no way around it. He had a stunning intellect, was well read beyond any other legionary or wastelander she had met, that she could remember. Getting shot twice in the head usually brought about some trouble processing ones mind, but Rhia's mind seemed to work quite well. Vulpes teased her about being brain damaged, since she'd agreed to marry him – and it was possible there was some truth in that, but she frankly didn't care.

She eventually found herself back at the Fort in hers and Vulpes tent, reading book 11 of Quintilian's Institutio Oratoria – where she found the final canons of Aristotle's rhetoric. Where the Legion had found the works of Quintilian, she had no idea – but it was interesting enough and it certainly gave her a challenge when it came to her Latin-lessons. Vulpes and she spoke only Latin when they were alone, that way she quickly picked it up – she did however need to use her mother tongue, English, when she spoke with the slaves and some of the lower ranked legionaries.

"Domina Vulpes Inculta, Caesar demands your presence", said a praetorian guard who peeked into the tent and nodded to her.

 _When spoken to by a man of the Legion who is not your husband or your Imperator Caesar, you nod and only speak if the answer requires an actual answer_ , Vulpes had told her, and so Rhia did as she had been instructed and nodded back to the guard. She made sure her red toga-like dress was smoothed out and looked decent as she ascended from the tent, following the praetorian towards Caesar's large tent and throne.

As she exited a tent filled with mongrels and more praetorians, she could see Caesar sitting on his throne, as well as her husband standing on Caesar's right side. To the imperator's left stood more guards, one of them held a bloodied man in a slaving-chain, he looked disgusting and partly mutilated from torture, so Rhia decided to ignore him.

"Ave, Imperator Caesare, a filio Martis", Rhia nodded turning her eyes away from Caesar – not being worthy to look upon him unless spoken to. "Salve, domine mi vir", she said and looked to her husband who nodded to her in recognition, with a small curl of his lips.

"Salve, domina Vulpes Inculta", Caesar gesticulated for Rhia to look at him and he smiled softly and spoke to her only in Latin. "It gladdens me to hear your Latin is improving. Vulpes is doing good work with your education"

Rhia nodded and silently thanked Caesar for the compliment to her husband and to herself.

"Now, I suppose you wonder why I have asked you here, Domitia. Perhaps you recognize the man held up in chains here beside me?" Caesar continued and cocked his head slightly to his left. Vulpes smirked and winked to Rhia before she turned and inspected the bloodied mess of human garbage to Caesar's left.

And indeed human garbage it was. Rhia couldn't help but to smile as she realized whom the man held by chains and guarded by praetorians were. Vulpes walked up and stood besides her, gently trailing his long, calloused fingers along her spine down to the curve of her back, as she pierced the lump of human waste just a few feet away with her stare.

"It's a gift, my love", Vulpes grinned into Rhia's ear. "I made you a promise, did I not?"

"You did, indeed, domine mi vir", Rhia smiled as she kept her eyes on the man who last she saw him wore a chequered jacket and was pointing a gun against her head.

"Oh fuck", the pile of human junk gasped when he finally met the eyes of Rhia and looked up and down her toga-clad body, her waist held in a possessive grip by Vulpes _fucking_ Inculta. He had really pissed on it this time, hadn't he? Benny had panicked several times during his attempt to sneak into the camp, but he had not quite panicked this much when the guards caught him. He thought that he perhaps could have bargained with Caesar somehow, strike an alliance of sorts with the Legion. "He-hey…Kitten, never thought I'd see your sweet face again", why did he just say that? It was obvious the cunt had fucked her way into the top folds of the Legion, standing there with the Butcher himself, his arm draped around her. And what did Caesar call her? Domina what?

"Domina Domitia", said Caesar and demanded Rhia's attention again. "Our guards found this fool trying to sneak into our camp. Your husband informs me he is responsible for trying to murder you, is this true?"

"Yes, imperator", Rhia nodded.

"Then, as a token of my trust in you, as an devoted wife of the Legion, you are free to decide how this dog of a man is to be executed", Caesar smiled softly again while leaning back in his throne and resting his head on his knuckles.

"What would please you, my love?" Vulpes asked her and kissed her lightly on her shoulder.

"Could I…", Rhia hesitated and looked up at her tall husband.

"Could you, what?" Vulpes frowned.

" _I_ want to kill him"

"You want to kill him yourself?" Vulpes raised an eyebrow and looked at her with his stormy eyes.

"Yes. I want him to suffer, and to humiliate him. You know I could kill him myself in a heartbeat", Rhia took her husbands hand and kissed his knuckles. Vulpes snorted, looking almost amused. It would certainly be humiliating for Benny to be killed by a woman, in the eyes of the Legion. Women were normally not allowed to fight, but Rhia was a rather good fighter and it wasn't something Vulpes encouraged, but he didn't try to supress it either.

"I do know", he smirked and looked towards Caesar, who nodded back. "He's all yours, my love. The arena?"

"Yes, please. I'll need a _very_ sharp machete, as well", Rhia smiled and looked back down at Benny who laid shivering beneath the behemoth of a praetorian guard holding his chains.

Such a loving husband she had, Rhia thought as Vulpes escorted her back to their tent. And what a gift! He had promised her, after all, and she didn't even have to hunt the fucker down herself, which just made the situation even better. Her husband was a violent and dominating man, possibly a bit too wicked for most, but he suited her perfectly. Few husbands would have let their wives fight in an arena to kill the person having tried to murder them. Most husbands would have insisted they were to kill the bastard instead, but Vulpes didn't even tried to convince her not to do it. But he _knew_ she was capable, and it was also possible he got off on watching her fight. Not that he'd ever fess up to it. It is not _decorum_ for a Frumentarii to have an audacious wife, of course, but how could he ever deny her anything? He couldn't, and this Rhia knew. She had the Butcher of the Mojave wrapped around her finger, or deep in her cunny, or whatever metaphor you'd like to use – and it was damned comfortable. And he was gorgeous.


	3. Chapter 3

Audaces fortuna iuvat, quis nescit?

During his 35 years alive, Vulpes hadn't really _felt_ anything for the weaker sex, not something real, in any case. They were women, they were beautiful and if they behaved, they were also quite pleasant to have around. He had been a part of the raping and pillaging during his immediate youth while conquering tribes in Arizona and Utah, but as he grew older, he felt more and more opposed to the practise of rape and forced copulation, at least concerning himself. As a part of keeping up morale within the troops and as warfare, it was undoubtedly superior. But he didn't find slave whores entertaining with their blank eyes and limp bodies, they quickly became tiring and simply tedious. Then of course, there were the free women, the sycophants, often found in Flagstaff or Phoenix – they possibly disgusted him even further. Well behaved, of course, but nonetheless boring and false in their affection. _Prorsum obiectus, meretrix_.

Domitia, however, he had chosen her himself. T _amed her_. He wasn't actually sure she could be broken down properly and he didn't want to break her either – her feisty spirit, combined with an understanding of Legion-culture and good behaviour satisfied him like none other had before her. She challenged him on a level he'd never before witnessed, she was loyal as a lioness, but obedient as a slave. For the first time in his life, he was able to keep up an intellectual discussion with a woman, a former profligate woman, even so. He knew he had made a marvellous choice back in Goodsprings.

When he watched her decapitate Benny in the arena, her body looked like an incarnation of the goddess Victoria, with her long dark hair curling at the ends, dancing along with her movements. Her eyes were fierce with knowledge and power, like the goddess Minerva. Vulpes didn't want some simple profligate as a wife, he wanted a fierce goddess and that is what he had found in Domitia, in Rhiannon. He had transformed her from a dissolute to a free woman of the Legion, an amicus by full right. The New Vegas filth didn't stand a chance against her, not that he wasn't a good fighter, but Rhia had the stroke of a pure warrior within her. She had defied death, after all, and she slashed down on him with force from her lithe body. Dodged his blows with ease, as if dancing a ballet on air, swirling around her own shoulder and slowly hacking the disgusting profligate to pieces. She was dangerous, very dangerous, and Vulpes loved it, adored it and wanted to completely ravish her as he watched her bloodied body claim its victory and revenge.

The only thing that had really worried him with allowing her to fight the degenerate, was if she had become pregnant. She was to bear him sons, so many sons and he couldn't allow her to get hurt – yet he couldn't stand to deny her thirst for blood. Or his own thirst, for that matter.

 _Sitis sanguinem perdidit ex scelere. Sed vilis efficitur magis cupere, custodi me Martis_ , Vulpes thought to himself as his mind calmed with a purring heat at the sight of Rhia victoriously kicked the scattered body parts of the casino hotshot.

"You're looking awfully smug", Caesar sighed where he sat on the higher balcony looking out over the arena, as Vulpes stood beside him. Vulpes smirked. "She's an admirable woman", said Caesar and leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees – taking in the sight of Vulpes' blood drenched wife walking over to the praetorian guards securing the entrance of the arena. "I would like her to be put under your command in the Frumentarii"

Vulpes snorted, "My lord imperator, is that wise?"

"Why wouldn't it be wise, my friend? The more time that passes, her intellect grows and it's no secret you're already teaching her well beyond the bounds of a normal wife. It is becoming more and more clear to me that your wife has been blessed by Martis, she defied death itself"

"What would you have her do?"

"Perhaps it would be good for her to travel with you to New Vegas, integrate her into the organization as a spy, a female Frumentarius could help us gain advantages we've not yet been able to even consider"

"I cannot allow you to ask that of me", Vulpes hissed between his teeth, keeping his eyes steadily forward, appearing emotionless.

"Don't worry my dear Fox, I will not ask your wife to preform the same kind of undercover missions you and Alerio do for our cause", Caesar clasped Vulpes wrist and forced his attention, "She will collect information without the use of her profane body, for now"

Vulpes hissed and jerked his wrist lose from Caesar.

"To have a woman of her talents and integrity, it would be a waste not to make use of her, don't you agree? It would only apply to her role as a spy, she is _your_ property after all. You may do as you please with the NCR-filth that will be persuaded to give up information to please their own inferior desires. I also expect you, of all people, to be able to see beyond the primitive needs of profligates and instead see to the cause of the Legion. You know that it will be an honor for her to serve the Legion, _in every way possible_ ", Caesar leaned back in his armchair and smiled, looking out over the arena. "Now, be good and do as I ask, Inculta, you know I'd never ask this of you, weren't it of the utmost importance for our cause"

Vulpes had to use all of his restraint to keep himself from gritting his teeth or burst a vein – no matter what Caesar, the son of Mars said, he couldn't shake the possessive jealousy boiling within him.

"As you wish, my lord imperator", Vulpes said with a strained twist of his lips and left the balcony to collect _his_ property. 

"Caesar wishes that of me?" Rhia looked troubled as Vulpes explained to her that she would be taught to act as an agent of the Frumentarii. "Are you saying that you're fine with that?"

"Neither of us have any choice in the matter for now, I may be your husband and no other man is allowed to touch you, unless Caesar demands it"

"And now he demands it?" Rhia kneeled before Vulpes and took his hands in hers, so well trained and obedient. "Doesn't this affect my reputation? Or yours?"

"It will be done undercover. As a legionary, there's nothing I wouldn't do for our cause. You'll have to learn to separate your own body, from the body you're in when undercover. When you're working, it's not _you_. You'll either impersonate my wife, concubine or – when you're working on your own, a whole different person", Vulpes tried to keep himself as calm as possible, while trying to explain the situation for Rhia, who seemed to grow more and more agitated at the thought of having to spread her legs for information.

"Is that what you do?" she frowned and looked down, seemingly moulding over the situation in her mind. "You sleep with other women?"

"Yes", Vulpes clenched his jaw.

Rhia became quiet and absent for a moment, then quickly rose and rushed towards the door, but Vulpes was able to snatch her wrist before she could leave the tent.

"You motherfucker!" Rhia cried with a stare filled with what Vulpes suspected was hurt mixed with rage. "That's just a fucking excuse for you to two-time me, you fucking animal! And now you want _me_ to do it as well? Why don't you just parade me around naked around the camp, hm? Invite every initiate to my spread legs!"

" _Believe me_ ", Vulpes twisted her wrist in a hard grip and jerked her towards him, piercing her with his glare, "I did _not_ chose this. But you are going to obey me, Rhiannon. You are going to do what you're told and comply. It's the will of Caesar and therefore also my will"

"Liar!" Rhia spat and punched Vulpes over his chest as she tried to jerk herself lose once again.

Vulpes backhanded her hard over her face and she flew down on the ground as he straddled her, pushing her down with his knee over her chest and one hand around her throat, another pointing in her face.

"Now you listen to me, I _own_ you, you are my property. I could easily degrade you to the level of a slave and have you set aside. You will do what I tell you to do, _exactly_ what I tell you. In fact, if you don't, I will have you publically lashed and humiliated and that will only reflect badly on you, my dear _wife_ "

"Fuck. You", Rhia hissed, "I didn't marry you to become your fucking slave, Inculta, I married you because I _love you_. I don't want another man's cock in me!"

"And do you think I want to sleep with other women? Who the _fuck_ do you think I am? You fucking bitch, how can you even begin to _think_ I'd betray you?"

"Get off me!" Rhia growled and tried to bite Vulpes free hand, which only resulted in him repeatedly beating her hard over her temple and cheeks. "Stop it Vulpes!"

"I'll stop once you obey, you worthless cunt", Vulpes hissed and clasped his hands around her throat until she lost consciousness. He truly hated having to do this to her, but she needed to learn, she needed to control her temper and act according to her station.

Once she was out, he pulled up her toga and fucked her until she woke up again, screaming in confusion and trying to push him away. Soon enough, she calmed down and gently followed his hard treatment. She knew there was no escaping, she just needed to learn and behave compliantly.

"Are you going to do what I tell you to?" Vulpes whispered into her ear while nuzzling her neck.

"Etiam ego, domine mi vir", Rhia moaned in a broken whisper as he pushed into her, no longer holding her in a harsh grip around her throat, but instead clasping her jawline gently and embracing her.

"Bona puella", Vulpes whispered. 

She is insufferable and completely and utterly mad. How Caesar could even begin to think she is ready to begin training as a spy, was beyond Vulpes sense. She needed to learn how to control her temper – as she had behaved, she'd only be a liability in New Vegas. Sure, it was probably shock of some kind, but Vulpes had thought they were beyond her screaming and calling him names. Only ' _motherfucker_ ' would have gained her nothing but lashes, instead he had gone easy on her. She knew perfectly well how a husband was supposed to punish a disobedient wife, and still she didn't hesitate to throw herself at him when she lost her temper. Fucking woman.

As if it wasn't enough what Caesar had asked of him – Vulpes didn't really mind sleeping with other women as a means of extracting information – it wasn't something he took pleasure out of, but he didn't mind it. Since he'd obtained Rhia, he had only thought of her, whilst working on the field. But to have her having to do the same, Vulpes simply couldn't stand the thought. There had never been a female operating within the army of the Legion before, women didn't _work_ in their society. Women took care of the home and the family, they did _not_ under any circumstance spread their legs for anyone else but their husband – unless it was the will of the husband. _Or Caesar_ , hissed Vulpes to himself as he left the tent to fetch a slave to care for Rhia's wounds.

He needed to go over quite a few things with his wife, once she properly calmed down. Vulpes had business in New Vegas in a few days time, but it wasn't business in which he could bring his wife with him. It was time for one of his monthly meetings with a certain receptionist of Gomorrah, and she was a jealous whore, from what Vulpes had gathered. He sighed as he considered what for him seemed like an unnecessary mess, all because of Caesar's suddenly blatant ignorance of tradition and Legion culture. Sure, Rhia would probably make a fine Frumentarius, but it wasn't conventional and it certainly made Vulpes life too uncomfortable for his own taste. Something had to be done, but what he didn't yet know. Mars would show him the way, of that Vulpes was certain, he just needed to contain his annoyance for now.

Alerio arrived back to the Fort just before Vulpes was to travel to New Vegas and so he put Alerio in charge of his wife. As his second in command, Alerio was more than a proper tutor for Rhia while Vulpes was away. 

* * *

Audaces fortuna iuvat, quis nescit? - Fortune favors the bold, who knows?

Prorsum obiectus, meretrix - Completely exposed, whore

Sitis sanguinem perdidit ex scelere. Sed vilis efficitur magis cupere, aliam Fili me Martis - You may lose blood from the crime. However, the cheaper it is, the more desirable it becomes, keep me, Mars

Etiam ego, domine mi vir - I will, my lord husband

Bona puella - Good girl


	4. Chapter 4

Rhia was absolutely furious. What. The. Actual. Fuck.

She glared over at Alerio who walked beside her on the dusty road leading them towards Primm. Vulpes had left for New Vegas to do whatever it was he did, _screwing whores_ , probably. Bastard. Married for six months and all the time he's been screwing around 'undercover', fucking liar. Well, she knew he was a liar – but it didn't make it hurt any less, thinking of him pleasing another woman and giving her what should be only Rhia's and Rhia's alone. Vulpes had told her, he thought only of her when he had to do that kind of work, but he was a liar. Could she trust _anything_ he said? Probably not, but she was a fool. Why do fools fall in love? Well, there's an easy answer to that fantastically old question; because they're fools, naturally. Domitia Rhiannon Gallagher Inculta, you're a fool. He was possibly the devil himself, draped in the lures of age-old ancient gods with the body of a youthful Mars incarnated. _Caesar, the son of Mars_ – Rhia snorted to herself, had they even met her husband? Well, at least not seen him naked and enraged, that's for sure. Rhia wasn't older than 19 years and Vulpes was 35, but he didn't look older than 25 – somehow the Wasteland had thought it fun to at least spare one individual from aging too fast and remain a youth for as long as possible. Wasn't that something the devil could do?

Yep, she had married the devil. Oh joy, Rhia rolled her eyes – earning a narrowed-eyed look from Alerio.

"So, what are we going to do in Primm?" Rhia asked as she could see a large roller-coaster forming through the dry dust in the distance.

"Did I ask you something, woman?" Alerio hissed. "When we're alone, you still have to comply under the laws of obedience"

"You're kidding, right?" Rhia rolled her eyes and sighed, "Well, then. Excuse me, speculator secretum domini sui in Frumentarii"

Alerio sighed as well and clenched his fists. "Speak your mind, Domitia"

"I asked a question", Rhia looked at the somewhat short but broad and strong Frumentarius at her side. "Why are we going to Primm? You never told me"

"We have business in Primm, _obviously_ "

"And I'm supposed to learn? What am I supposed to learn exactly?"

"It will be in preparation for you to start working in New Vegas and Freeside. Primm is an easier target with more decrepit idiots and inbreeds, in case you'd fail to keep your identity – it wouldn't be too hard to wipe the whole town out", Alerio explained in a calm but strained voice. He was definitely irritated with her and with the fact that his small leave from his duties turned into tutoring his boss's impudent wife.

"You're expecting the two of us to wipe out an entire town? Wow, and here I thought I was the one with brain damage", Rhia pursed her lips and winked towards the legionary dressed in a t-shirt and cargo-pants with heavy boots.

"You know that being your tutor, I'm allowed to punish you", Alerio hissed.

"Stop being so sensitive Alerio, you like me. I know you do", said Rhia and smiled.

"I really don't"

"Liar", Rhia smirked. Alerio rolled his eyes and sighed, hoping his untold answer would keep her from continuing the chatter. Sorry, buddy. "You haven't told me a thing yet, who am I supposed to be? Are you a soldier? A merc? Please, Alerio", Rhia made puppy-eyes to Alerio, " _Tell me_ , please"

Alerio's lips twitched as he clenched his jaw. "I don't know why in the name of the gods Vulpes would marry a woman as infuriating as yourself"

"That's easy", Rhia lifted her chin in victory with a smug smile. "I'm obedient when I need to be, and quite pretty – or so I've been told. And evil, I'm quite evil actually – and he likes that"

"I can only imagine", Alerio mumbled through a clenched jaw.

"You know that I know how to behave myself, I just think you're a nice person to converse with. I don't want to upset you, Alerio, but it's just boring doing all this walking and camping and not saying _anything_. You're not mad are you?" Alerio didn't answer. "Oh…"

"Fine. I'm a merc, you're a girl. Let me do the talking and I'll tell you more once we have a room to stay in, all right? Could you _possibly_ manage to shut the fuck up for the rest of the way now?"

"Of course, speculator secretum domini sui in Frumentarii", Rhia smiled and winked again. That won her a frustrated growl from Alerio who started to walk faster.

Alerio was too kind for his own good, Rhiannon smiled to herself. She could talk to Vulpes in this way, but it almost always ended in her being forcefully fucked or needing to spend over an hour on her knees with a cramping jaw, sucking his cock until she begged for forgiveness. That was quite enjoyable, most of the time. Vulpes could be harsh, but she liked it, in all honesty. She didn't like being beaten up, of course, but it was a small negative in comparison to all the positives she got from Vulpes and most of the time he was a lovely man to be with. Educated and always interested in discussing pretty much anything and also very invested in her education, bringing her books and encouraging her to learn as much as possible. She was treated much better than the other wives, who was more or less means of breeding and slaves in togas, instead of rags painted with red x's. Rhia was kept well fed, lived in a large but sparsely decorated tent, slept in a clean and comfortable bed and had half a library of literature to emerge herself in, whenever she wanted to. But now she had to fuck strangers for information. God damn it, Vulpes. Fucking bastard Caesar, fuckingly fucking fuck.

 _How many women have you slept with while undercover?_ Rhia had asked Vulpes when he came to bed the night after their confrontation. _I don't keep track_ , he answered. Liar. She knew very well that Vulpes had a memory beyond what normal people had, he knew exactly how many. _How many are you sleeping with right now?_ She asked. _Why do you even bother, amica mea?_ He answered with a frown, clearly not in the mood to discuss anything concerning his sex-life outside of their marital bed. _Because I am your wife and I wish to know_. Vulpes sighed with irritation as he came out of his armor. _Well, I don't wish to tell you._

And that was it, it wouldn't help nagging him – it would only make him angry and result in re-stitching her temple for the fifth time, or something. Did he want her to actually become brain-damaged? Jerk.

Primm was a right shithole of a town, almost overrun by Powdergangers but for the time being the presence of the NCR and the local sheriff was able to keep the situation under control – Alerio however didn't think it would take long before the attacking thugs with dynamite was able to gain complete control of the town.

Primm had a smaller casino and a few merchants, but other than that, there wasn't much to see. The roller-coaster didn't work, of course. Bummer, Rhia thought – she had always wanted to try one of those out. Alerio and Rhia walked into the casino and were able to get a room for the night, posing as mercenaries travelling to the Mojave Outpost. There was a Legion safehouse in the hills just southeast of the Mojave Outpost outside of Nipton that they needed to check up on. Alerio told her that they had assassination squads hiding in the mountains, with orders of terrorizing the smaller towns in the nearby area and he needed to meet up with a few of them, collecting information. First, however, they were to squeeze some information from the citizens of Primm and one man in particular, regarding the NCR-troops guarding the town.

Rhia had been able to clean herself up somewhat while Alerio rested in their room and it had been a blessing kicking off her heavy boots. The Mojave was hot and dry and even if she would have travelled completely nude, she would have sweated like a dog. The lukewarm water she used to clean herself with was beyond wonderful and she dug up a spare black top from her backpack and curled up the legs of her tight and worn black jeans to just above her ankles. She'd rather walk around barefoot than step into those boots again today, her feet needed to breathe.

Rhia clipped her 10 mm pistol to her belt and checked the blade of her combat knife she had in a holster around her right thigh. She also carried a single shotgun over her shoulder as they travelled, but she had yet to have any use for it, as the 10 mm was plenty to kill vipers and other junkie filth they met on the road. Alerio carried a machete, a .357 magnum and a sniper's rifle, along with their forged NCR-passports and documents they would need if they were captured for some reason.

"Alerio"

"What did I say about talking without being spoken to?" Alerio answered without opening his eyes, from where he laid on the one bed in their room. Rhia guessed she'd be sleeping on the floor on one of their bedrolls if they stayed that long.

" _How_ am I suppose to communicate with you if I'm not allowed to talk before you?"

"You're not", Alerio yawned and sat up on the bed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "But, since you've woken me, what do you want?"

"I'm ready to gamble!" Rhia smiled, rubbing her hands together. "Gimme some caps, _please_ "

"Impudent profligate woman", Alerio groaned as he stood up.

"Hey, I heard that", Rhia pouted.

"Good", Alerio said while grabbing a bottle of purified water. "I'll get you some caps, but remember to listen closely to what they're saying down there. There's a man I want you to seduce, and no, you wont have to sleep with him. Just entertain him and get him drunk and eventually following you up to our room. If he wants to buy you drinks, accept them and I'll keep an eye out for you"

"I'm allowed to drink?" Rhia asked with wide eyes.

"Yes, of course. If we never drank alcohol while undercover, we wouldn't be able to keep up a very good façade, would we? Everyone knows the legionaries doesn't drink"

"I have to say, I like you more and more Alerio", Rhia winked and Alerio sighed. "What's my name, by the way?"

"I checked us in as Josie Fox and Dane Anderson"

"Josie Fox? Fox, isn't that Vulpes alias?"

"It is, yes. In case someone were to recognize you in New Vegas later, considering the work you are supposed to do there. We're close enough to New Vegas that the people travelling between the towns could remember your appearance. For that matter, stay out of Goodsprings, all right?"

"Is your alias always Dane Anderson?"

"In these parts, yes. And I'm always a merc"

"So now I am to be a merc all the time as well?" Rhia narrowed her eyes, she had no idea what Vulpes was pretending to be while in Vegas, but she was pretty sure it wasn't a merc.

"No, you're more or less a girl I travel with. And lose the gun for tonight"

"I'm your _whore_?" Rhia crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Alerio who suddenly looked smug.

"If you wish", he smirked. Rhia groaned, clipped off her 10 mm before following him out into the corridor and down the stairs to the casino.

The man she was to seduce was a toothless older man of some prominence within the NCR, as Alerio told her in whispers while they stood at the bar. Rhia grabbed her beer and walked over to the slot machine next to her first victim and sat down. He was dressed in a ragged suit and wore an old ranger-hat, he must be a veteran on leave or perhaps retired, Rhia thought as she pushed a chip into the slot machine. It didn't take long before the ranger-man beside her had started to eye her, he was obviously drunk and smelled acrid from stale alcohol, urine and smokes. Rhia had to fight her heaves and tried her best to look at him with seductive eyes now and again, to instill some hope of interest from her side in the putrid man beside her. _Fucking Caesar_ , she thought while sipping her beer and giving the ranger side-glances from under her lashes.

He finally decided to speak to her and cleared his throat.

"I ain't seen you here before darlin'"

"Well, sir, I'm not from here", Rhia answered and cast him a look.

"First time in Primm, is it?"

"Yeah", Rhia had some trouble coming up with what she was going to say, to balance the situation in the right way. She kept herself from looking back at Alerio who was standing at the bar, keeping an eye on her. The good thing about being surrounded with legionaries and members of the Frumentarii was the fact that you were always protected from profligate men. The spies of the Legion could move silently in the shadows and, the legionaries were generally ridiculously over-protective of their women (well, their property, why mince words?). If this man would even begin to try something with Rhia, Alerio would cut him down in a heartbeat, out of loyalty to the Legion. By principium, he had to, since Rhia was a member of the Legion through her training as a Frumentarius and as the wife of Vulpes Inculta.

"You're here on your own, sweetness?" the man asked with a toothless smile. He couldn't really be that old, Rhia realized, but the radiation and possible inhuman consummation of alcohol made him look much older.

"I'm travelling with someone, but if you're asking what I think you are, then yes. I am here by myself", Rhia smiled softly and made eye contact with him.

Their conversation progressed and eventually the ranger seemed to become too sober for comfort and he asked Rhia to find a table for them and he bought some more drinks. Alerio wore a cowboy hat and kept himself close to the bar and Rhia made sure not to look at him, but instead tried to behave like a normal wastelander who'd found herself a feeding hand for the evening. Relationships between young girls and older men was nothing strange, it was a way of survival in the Wastes and the older men knew it and many gladly took advantage. This one seemed open enough to taking advantage of a needing young girl, making her way towards the Mojave Outpost. Yes, she was a prostitute. Fun? Nope, not fun at all.

But the ranger was actually quite charming at times in his drunken state, made jokes and were only too happy to keep her entertained and without thirst.

After some time, he shamelessly asked her if she had a room rented and she answered that she did, in fact. It was an obvious sign of her selling herself for some food or caps, keeping her own room and agreeing to let this man know this. The ranger followed her up the stairs to the room and Rhia hoped to all the gods she could think of, that Alerio wasn't far behind. The man grinned as she closed the door behind her and his hands were quickly on her, groping and tugging at her clothes. Rhia made no resistance, only waited for Alerio to take care of the situation, since she had no idea what she was supposed to do. He had only told her to bring the man to their room, but that she didn't have to actually sleep with him. _Fucking little shit_ , where was he?

Suddenly, as the ranger nuzzled her neck with his dry lips and ground his hips against her abdomen, she saw a shadow move quickly behind him and within seconds, the ranger was on the floor. Alerio stood over him, grinning like a wolf, pushing him down to the floor with a boot pressed against his throat.

"Thought you were getting yourself some sweet cunny, didn't you? Profligate pig", Alerio smiled and cocked his head while inspecting the man under his boot. The ranger's eyes widened, as he seemed to realize he had walked into the arms of the Legion.

"Who the _fuck_ are you's?" the man gasped from under Alerio's heavy boot.

"Well, we're not barbarian's, we might as well make due with some introductions. I am Alerio, Frumentarius of imperator Caesar's Legion. The woman you just put your greasy fingers on is the wife of Vulpes Inculta, the Butcher of the Mojave", the ranger gasped again and just as he was about to make a noise, Alerio showed something into his mouth, preventing him from making any noises but some muffled whining. "Now, trying to feel up the property of a legionary is bad enough, but the property of Vulpes Inculta? Well, that does not bode well for you. So, what do you say? I have some questions I'd like to have answered and until you answer them truthfully, I'm going to remove small pieces of your flesh and make you eat it. Do you understand me well enough?" The ranger frantically nodded and Alerio went about his work.

When Alerio seemed satisfied with the answers he'd gotten from the ranger, he killed him and hid him in an adjoining room. They left the same evening for the safehouse, which was situated three hours away from Primm, to get some rest and sleep there. Alerio complemented Rhia on her work and thought she had done well, seeing as it was her first time. Rhia was still very angry with Caesar, Vulpes and now also Alerio and she couldn't wait to get the reek of that disgusting ranger of her body. She felt filthy and could still sense the touch of the rangers sweaty hands on her body.

Somehow, she couldn't help thinking to herself, that if anything ever happened to Caesar, she wouldn't be surprised if Vulpes had something to do with it – and she would gladly help her husband. 

* * *

Speculator secretum domini sui in Frumentarii - Lord secret master spy of the Frumentarii

Amica mea – My love


	5. Chapter 5

Muffled sounds stirred Rhia as she woke in her bedroom in the Tops casino on the strip. She had taken over the Tops after the death of Benny and made it her own and her companions home with the help of Swank, Benny's former right-hand man. She had spent the last six months in that casino, together with Cass and Arcade. Suddenly her mind sharpened at the sound of hard knocks on her door and she could hear Cass's voice screaming her name.

"Rhia, for fuck's sake! Wake up God damn it, WAKE UP!"

Rhia hurled herself out of bed and ran towards the door, opening it and meeting Cass's wide, expanded eyes.

"The fucking Legion is coming! They won Hoover dam, the NCR is gone, _gone_! We've gotta go, get the fuck out of here, _now_ ", Cass screamed and shook Rhia by her shoulders. The ground from under them shook as missiles crashed into buildings in Freeside and slowly gritted the buildings down to dust.

"Well, what are you waiting for then, go!" Rhia told Cass, "GO!"

"The hell I'm leaving you!" Cass stormed into Rhia's room and quickly helped her gather her things together in a pack as Rhia threw on a pair of jeans and quickly stepped into her now well-worn military boots. Forget a bra, forget clean panties – the tank top she was wearing had to make due for now.

Rhia tousled her now very long dark and curly hair quickly and sheathed her combat knife, reached for her two 10 mm pistols and grabbed a sniper rifle from a cupboard next to her bed. Time to kill some enemies!

* * *

"Domina Domitia, I cannot express with enough pride with what you have accomplished during your short time as a Frumentarius. I knew Mars was right about you, you certainly have the favor of the Gods", Caesar leaned back in his throne and spoke to Rhia with an amused look upon his face.

Rhia nodded towards Caesar and made a curtsy, as she stood in her red toga, 'home' again for the first time in three months. It was a relief to finally be rid of the New Vegas filth, if only for a couple of days. She hadn't seen her husband in a month's time since he'd been too busy taking care of Camp Searchlight, which was a stroke of genius by the way. The whole camp had turned into a swarm of ghouls attacking the remaining NCR-soldiers in the surrounding area. She herself had spent time in New Vegas, turning the three families against each other by reporting false rumors back and forth between them while at the same time working for the NCR together with Picus, or Cpt. Ronald Curtis as he was better known as. Rhia had become somewhat famous within the NCR and was known as Courier Six, providing the NCR with information about Mr House and the New Vegas families. She had during the last months become a double agent between the NCR and the families, but secretly providing Caesar with information from the Strip and Freeside.

Somehow, she was luckier than she'd ever thought and she'd been able to squirm herself out of every difficult situation she ever found herself in. She had gone to New Vegas with Vulpes after she came back to the Fort with Alerio and everything had just continued to go smoothly. She eventually got around to accepting her fate as a Frumentarius and forgot her anger towards Caesar and her husband. Whenever she didn't have to bed disgusting slimy old men, her work was actually very fun. Torture wasn't really her strong suit, so she mostly left that part for Vulpes to deal with, but other than that, she enjoyed collecting information in and around New Vegas. At first, she had accompanied Vulpes, but he soon found her trustworthy enough to have her ally with the NCR and support Picus in his work with them.

Now it had become time to start moving towards Hoover Dam and there was work that needed to be done inside the NCR base Camp McCarran in New Vegas. Before killing Mr House, Rhia was going to help Picus blow up the monorail and lead in Legion troops into the base so that they could begin their slaughter. Then she could move on to Mr House, kill him and claim New Vegas for herself, while the last troops of the NCR fought a losing battle against the NCR at Hoover Dam. C-4 bombs had been planted under the Fort to blow up the securitrons that Mr House had in his bunker under the weather station, while the camp was mostly empty during the battle. Vulpes with the help of Alerio was to assassinate President Kimball and then let the forces of the Legion drive the NCR farther West back into California before they walked into New Vegas and Rhia gave it over to them without a fight.

The Legion had been able to ally themselves with the Great Khans, whom had agreed to emerge themselves into the Legion as so many other tribes all around the Mojave. Vulpes Inculta wasn't the most diplomatic and warm individual, but he was in luck, since he had run into his wife out in the desert while traveling to the Red Rock Canyon. Unfortunately, Rhia had been traveling with Boone and the surprising run-in with her husband in the desert resulted in Boone gracing a cross in the desert, being eaten alive by geckos and other nasty desert animals. He was able to kill three of Vulpes' men, after all. Unfortunate, but sometimes things happen that are out of your control. Rhia had been on her way to the Great Khans herself, helping the NCR with some business regarding the Great Khans supplying the Fiends with drugs. Instead, she accompanied her better half and helped Vulpes in diplomatic discussions and was able to strike a treaty with Papa Khan, using what Vulpes referred to as her _endless insufferable chatter and devious profligate nature_. It got the job done, nevertheless and Rhia could return to the NCR with the unfortunate news that it seemed the Great Khans had allied themselves with the Legion and she was denied entry to their lands. After that, she had to suffer through a long meeting at the NCR embassy, being yelled at by the ambassador and Col. James Hsu. Pricks. She made a mental note of having them both crucified when the time came, if possible.

"We're now waiting for Legate Lanius to arrive and I'm so very glad both you and Vulpes are present here for his arrival. You have not had the pleasure to meet the Legate as of yet, have you?" Caesar asked and smiled a smile towards Rhia that made her stomach lurch. She knew very well who the Monster of the East was and frankly, she didn't know if she ever did _want_ to meet him, even though he was Legion. Vulpes did not like the man, considering him a brute with no sense of strategic mastery. Even Caesar didn't seem to be too fond of Lanius, but he had forced enough enemies to their knees through brutal force, for Caesar to consider him invaluable.

"I have not, imperator", said Rhia and smiled softly. This was going to be curious, Lanius had a bad reputation when it came to women, even by Legion-standards.

"You will accompany your husband together with the rest of the officers during the dinner tomorrow", Caesar exclaimed and Rhia noted that Lucius smiled towards her from where he stood at Caesar's left side. Vulpes, standing to the right looked less amused – he always looked less amused. Stone-face. Women weren't allowed to dine _with_ the officers of the Legion, though women were present, they were there in the form of entertainment and as slaves. Rhia didn't know what kind of entertainment they were offering the officers, but she didn't have to strain herself imagining.

"Gratias tibi, Imperator Caesare", Rhiannon curtsied once again.

"Vale, domina Domitia", Caesar smiled and gesticulated for Rhia to leave and she complied immediately.

Lucius was one of the nicer officers of the Legion, he was also an interesting person to converse with. Considering the quite low life expectancy within the Legion's ranks, Lucius was old, he was almost 50 years old, which made him shy of a few years from Caesar himself and he had been in charge of the praetorian guards for almost fifteen years. He was not as intellectual as Vulpes, but had more patience and from what Rhia could tell, he treated his wife quite well, or well, he didn't force her to follow him around the army camps but instead let her soak in her pool in Flagstaff. God- …ehm, Gods, was Rhia ever going to soak in her pool once they could return to the capital.

The night before it was time for Rhia to return to New Vegas for the last preparations before the Legion moved in on camp McCarran and assassinated President Kimball, was the same night that the Monster of the East arrived. She had duly noted the fact that she herself was married to a man that was referred to as either the Butcher of the Mojave or the Monster of the Mojave, but Vulpes was an intellectual man, tall with muscles like those statues of warriors you could see pictures of in encyclopedias of the Roman Empire. Lanius, was not a man.

Lanius was a motherfucking beast. He must have been over seven feet tall and almost as broad, covered from head to toe in leather and metal, wearing a mask of an enraged Mars. _Jesus effing Christ_ , Rhia thought to herself as she stood just behind her husband's side as Caesar greeted Lanius.

Lanius completely ignored Rhia during the introductions and greeted only the male officer's, which was completely natural and what she had expected. It was well known by now that she was the only woman allowed to operate within the Legion's ranks, and she was used to it being disliked by many within the Legion, however, since her being there was the will of Caesar, she didn't expect Lanius to openly criticize it.

As usual the entire conversation was being held in Latin during the diner, fortunately enough, Rhia was now fluent in the language and could without problems follow the discussions being held. She had been sat next to her husband, on the right side of Caesar, while Lanius sat to Caesar's immediate left and beside him sat Lucius. Lanius had taken off his mask and beneath it was a severely scarred face that once might have been quite handsome, but due to the scar tissue, it could only be considered ruined.

Rhia followed decorum and only spoke if spoken to, except with Vulpes who she could speak to freely as long as he wasn't in a discussion with someone else. She noticed Lanius' blank stare halfway through the dinner and had to fight the urge of asking him what he found so interesting. However, she already knew what his answer would be. _You. At this table_.

"Domitia, I hear you did well in the negotiations with the Great Khans. They're a prickly bunch of bitches, but you nevertheless managed to bring them to their knees", Lucius nodded towards Rhia and smiled.

"I assure you, Lucius, it's all thanks to my husband", Rhia smiled back and nodded to Vulpes beside her.

"I doubt this woman could bring even a dog to its knees", Lanius grunted and pierced Rhia with his stare once again.

"I'd advise you to watch your tongue, Legate", said Vulpes without showing any kind of emotion in his stoic face. He had let his hair become somewhat longer, drawn back over his scalp with beautiful dark curls forming against the top of his neck and over his ears. When he slept his hair fell over his forehead and pillow in a way that made him look almost angelic. Strange, for a man who looked extremely intimidating with his eyes open, to transform in to something so peaceful by only relaxing his face and closing his eyes.

"You allow your property to many liberties, Inculta. It weakens morale", Lanius spoke with a deep and almost vibrating voice. It wasn't unlike Vulpes own voice, but Vulpes voice had a much smoother and lighter vibration to it, but they were equally emotionless in their tone.

"Do I?" Vulpes put his cutlery down and leaned back into his chair and kept his gaze steadily on Lanius. "And how is _my_ property any of _your_ business?"

"It's the Legion's business when you bring profligate whores into the highest ranks of our organization", said Lanius and let his eyes leave Rhia and move over to Vulpes.

"Infernum, could you two behave yourselves?" Caesar intervened, glaring at both Lanius and Vulpes and they both kept quiet, without braking eye contact.

Vulpes and Lanius more or less held the same rank in relation to Caesar, as a Legate, Lanius were the highest General under Caesar when it came to the general army of the Legion. However, as the head of the Frumentarii, Vulpes was his equal when it came to spies and the unconventional warfare, commanding an enormous amount of agents all over the Mojave and the West at large. He also controlled the assassination squads and the intelligence, being in charge of torture and the general execution of prisoners. Lanius was known for his strength and Vulpes for his intelligence, they were each one side of the coin that was Caesar's success in warfare and equally needed.

"Domitia is here after my own wish and is to enjoy the respect of the free woman that she is", Caesar said calmly and then turned and smiled towards Rhia. _Free woman_ , I wish, not in this company at least. When she was alone with Vulpes or conversed with Lucius or even Alerio, she felt like a free woman. Lanius completely took that freedom away from her by his very presence. Right now he placed very high on Rhia's persons I do not like-list.

"Perhaps it is time for some entertainment?" Lucius looked at Caesar who nodded back to him and gesticulated for him to go ahead. Lucius waved to one of the guards standing by the opening of the large tent who quickly disappeared.

Not soon after, decanus Alexus returned with a group of women, clad in normal clothing – short dresses mostly, but with slave collars around their necks. They were clean and mostly without any showing damage done to them and they didn't look quite as torn and starved as the slaves kept within the camp. These were fresh, possibly brought to the Fort recently by decanus Alexus and some of his men from their patrols along the Colorado River. So there was to be an auction, interesting.

Rhia knew about the slave-auctions, they were held for a few different reasons. Often after large battles for morale among the men, but also as entertainment for Caesar's highest ranking officers. High-prized slaves were often given to officers after battles as an award and men like Vulpes and Lanius seldom actually had to buy slaves. The auction itself was mere entertainment, the sums spent on the girls were meek and mainly symbolic.

"Do you wish me to leave, maritus?" Rhia leaned towards Vulpes and whispered.

"If you wish to leave, you are free to, amica mea. I need to stay for quite some time longer and I would enjoy your company, but I'll allow you to do as you please", Vulpes answered, stroking the curve of Rhia's neck, his warm breath against her skin gave her goose bumps.

"Well, I've never witnessed an auction before, I suppose it could be educational, if nothing else", Rhia sighed and winked discreetly to her husband. Vulpes chuckled slightly without showing too much of a smile and held her neck in a possessive grip. Rhia loved that kind of grip on the back of her neck, it made her skin burn in a most arousing way.

Decanus Alexus showed off the girls one on one, describing their physical health and showcasing their good attributes. They were all young and pretty, some of them couldn't have been older than 15 and the way they were handled was humiliating, to say the least. Rhia felt bad for them, in some way. When it came to being a slave, the best you could do was being put to manual labor, even though the work was hard, you lasted much longer working in a kitchen. The pretty girls, they were sold as mistresses and were more often than not treated poorly. Many of them lasted only for a couple of weeks, if only days depending on the activities they were put through. Sometimes, they were taken as wives, as Rhia had been by Vulpes, but it seldom happened. As profligates, they weren't considered human and therefore they had almost no worth, you had to be born a free woman or become one through marriage to have some kind of worth.

But how was the Wasteland different in general? Rhiannon thought, at least the slaves were fed regularly and had some kind of purpose in life. Many of the people that were taken as slaves, would have ended up jet-heads and junkies had the Legion not taken them. And the soldiers, well, who's to say they would have been better off as free wastelanders? Most likely they would have either starved to death or been killed by raiders, or they might have died in the clan-wars. The Legion fed people, gave them a purpose and rid the world of its scum; there was a reason caravans preferred traveling within Legion controlled lands – they weren't attacked by raiders and junkies. The roads were kept clean of scum and junk. Jet, psycho and other drugs were strictly forbidden by Caesar – as well as alcohol.

The security of the lands and its people were worth more than the freedom of profligates.

* * *

Gratias tibi, Imperator Caesare – Thank you, Emperor Caesar

Maritus - Husband


	6. Chapter 6

The evening's auction turned into an orgy, as it always did. There was never any shyness within the Legion, and especially not within the army – how could there be? The army contained only men, now with one exception; his wife.

She had noted that the witnessing of the auction would perhaps prove educational and Vulpes could hardly contain his laughter from her morbid humor. What they witnessed during the evenings entertainment resulted in the death of at least three of the girls who tried to fight back as they were ravished by some of the officers. Rhia didn't move a muscle but simply sat back and watched, seemingly untouched by what went on in the large tent. She even joked quietly with both Vulpes and Lucius, while leaving surly glances to Lanius as the evening progressed.

Contrary to every other man in the tent, Rhia was not dressed in armor, she never was since the Legion didn't provide women with armor. Instead she wore a traditional red toga, jewelry and leather sandals. Her long dark hair was pinned up in a lose bun in her neck with several strands of hair hanging down from her temple and just above her ears. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and she had truly grown into her part. She was well behaved, knew her place in the company of officers of the Legion and Caesar, but she was still fierce and contained a wit about her combined with a vast intellect. She understood the necessities of war and seldom complained about the Legion's misogyny towards women and slaves, she saw beyond the horrors of the immediate actions. She was a self-proclaimed egoist and valued her own comfort and survival before most others, very much like Vulpes himself. It wasn't something to be ashamed of; there was no point in carrying around regret that in the end was founded in basic human nature. Survival of the fittest, in simple terms. You had to fight your way to the top, in any way possible or else the world around you would chew you up and leave you to the vultures.

From Lanius comments towards Rhia, it became obvious to Vulpes that he was jealous, most were. It was only natural, after all. Yet again, Vulpes had bested him and Lanius couldn't stand the thought of it. Caesar may need him for the many battles, but it was well known that Vulpes were considered Caesar's favorite.

When the third girl for the evening stopped breathing, Rhia yawned and made her excuses and left for their tent. Vulpes followed her soon after and when he entered their tent, she was already in bed waiting for him. Her hair was once again lose and tousled, just as he liked it and he didn't think he would ever tire of seeing her like she was just then. Bare, natural and soft. She only had a few scars on her body, the obvious two in her head, but they were covered by her hair and wasn't visible unless you knew were to look. Vulpes had several more scars, he had been flagellated in his youth, just before Caesar made him decanus and he started his rise within the Legion's ranks. Besides the battered state of his back, he had been shot on a number of times and stabbed more times than he could count by now. He stood, watching her as he loosened the straps and clips of his armor and she lazily looked back at him as he stripped down.

Vulpes laid down beside Rhia and followed her round curves with his hands, letting his hands become filled with the fullness of her heavy bust as her embraced her and pulled her close to him, kissing her neck and shoulder until she moaned softly. He took it easy with her tonight, she was going to be away from him for quite some time after tomorrow and he wanted her to not only know of his love intellectually, but also feel it completely in it's physical form. Through their marriage it was his duty as a husband to provide his wife with comfort and security, and they had been lucky to love each other the way they did – it was seldom so within the Legion and sure, Rhia had been a pain. She still was a pain in many ways, but she was a good pupil and learned fast.

As he had made her come undone with the help of his tongue and hands, he settled between her shaking legs, stroking the soft porcelain skin and watching her whole curvaceous body unfold before him as she watched him through dim half-closed eyes and separated crimson lips, swollen from her biting down with her teeth and him nibbling and suckling them between their kisses. _You're Venus, undone and in all her marvelous glory_ , amica mea.

President Kimball was going to hold a speech at Hoover Dam and it was then he was to be assassinated and after that, the troops of the Legion were to begin their first attack. This was to be the second battle of Hoover Dam and this time, the Legion was going to win. The NCR were weakened and the Legion had enslaved 88 tribes so far and their army had more than doubled since the last battle, they outnumbered the NCR with five to one. Even though the NCR were technically advanced, the Legion's strength came from its fighting techniques during melee battles and the fact that they were prone to sneak their attacks upon their enemies. The Legion wagered war through conventional means, as well as unconventional and through information and spies, that often gained them the upper hand, even on an enemy that was as technologically advanced as the Brotherhood of Steel. The NCR was nothing in comparison, they were going to lose.

Besides the troops stationed close to the dam, there were troops stationed close to camp McCarran and several smaller assassination squads spread out all over the western Mojave, waiting to attack the different NCR ranger-camps. A larger force had been sent to Camp Golf, were the NCR only placed the imbecilic recruits they really didn't have a use for, as they never turned down anyone. Their loss, Vulpes grinned to himself as he watched president Kimball arriving in a vertibird, flying in over Hoover Dam.

Through infiltration, the Legion had gained control over HELIOS one without the NCR's knowledge and possessed the controls of both Archimedes I and Archimedes II and as soon as they had won the battle of the dam, they were to activate the space-weapon, shutting down the entire Strip and Mr House's securitrons, helping Rhia kill the ancient abomination.

Vulpes and Alerio was hidden in two different places as they watched Kimball ascend from his vertibird and entering the stage in front of hundreds of NCR soldiers and rangers. Ex oculis mente, Vulpes smiled to himself as he quietly loaded his sniper rifle and watched Kimball through his scope, following his every movement carefully before signaling Alerio. They both shot at the same time and the devastation to Kimball's head from two .308 kaliber bullets simultaneously piercing his skull was _beautiful_. Vulpes couldn't help himself as he threw two grenades into the gathered soldiers before he fled from the tower in which he had been hiding.

Assassinating presidents definitely made it to the top of his favorite things to do-list, as Rhia would have described it. If Kimball survived that, Vulpes would cut of his own cock and eat it – the man's head had looked worse than a cracked egg, scrambled over an open fire. _Maxima gloria_.

As Vulpes met Alerio at their rendezvous-spot, they signaled the first troops to attack the dam, and as they watched the troops spread down the many different paths leading towards the main opening of the dam like insects fleeing a burning nest, Vulpes rejoiced and enjoyed the imagined taste of blood in his mouth.

"Sed fortuna, quae plurimum potest cum in reliquis rebus tum praecipue in bello, parvis momentis magnas rerum commutationes efficit, ut tum accidit", Vulpes recited quietly to himself and allowed himself to smile, wide as a wolf.

* * *

Rhia, Cass and Arcade ran out of the Tops casino and they could hear the sound of missiles crashing into concrete, guns being fired and soldiers screaming for their lives. Civilians ran for their lives, either to hide somewhere remotely safe or trying to climb the huge walls leading out to the desert.

"What the fuck do we do?" Cass looked at Rhia with panic in her eyes.

"I told you to _run_ , God damn it!" Rhia shouted looking a both Cass and Arcade.

"Are you fucking kidding me? We're not leaving you for the legionaries! There's no way in hell I'm doing that, you stupid stubborn cow!" Cass growled and started to look around for a good way to either flee or hide, preparing to take out as many legionaries as possible.

"Arcade, listen to me", Rhia grabbed Arcades worn t-shirt and forced his attention, "You need to get out of here, do you hear me? Hide, run, whatever, but do not stay here. Okay?"

"Why, Rhia? Don't you trust me to handle myself in a battle?" Arcade snarled and focused his green eyes on Rhia through his black-rimmed glasses.

"Of course I do, I just don't want you to die, all right?" Rhia almost pleaded to the tall doctor with shaggy blonde hair.

"And I don't want you to fucking die, okay? Nor do I want Cass to die – we're in this together, there's nothing we can do about that now", Arcade hissed through clenched jaws.

"Yeah, what the fuck are you gonna do, Rhia? Why are you trying to force us to leave you? Why the _fuck_ would we even consider leaving you?" Cass spat grabbing Rhia's upper arm and pulling it towards her.

"Because, you will fucking die or become prisoners, you fuckwits!" Rhia jerked her arm lose from Cass's grip.

"And you wont?" Arcade shouted with wide eyes, "Don't sacrifice yourself for us, it won't make any difference whether we run or if we stay with you!"

"Gods, forgive me", Rhia whispered as she ran towards the Ultra-Luxe and started climbing up the roof over the entrance, waiting for the clash between NCR-soldiers and legionaries. Cass and Arcade lay down on the roof close to her and Rhia decided that it was the fate of the Gods, she had tried to force them away, but they wouldn't listen. Whatever came next for them, it was not of her doing, they had made their own choices and refused to run. Arcade would probably do fine within the Legion, with his medicinal knowledge, Cass however; well, it didn't look exactly bright for her.

And there came the clash, as legionaries stormed the Strip, cutting down everything in their way, launching grenades and missiles into Gomorrah, the Tops and into the Lucky 38. The NCR answered the fire from the lines of their embassy, but the battle was short-lived and as the soldiers met the legionaries in close combat, the red armored men slashed through the leather-clad soldiers with ease, using their machetes and rippers as if they were cutting through butter with a hot knife. Rhia heard Cass gasp as a giant emerged from the storming legionaries, a giant in a mask, wielding an enormous sword that cut through anything standing in its way. _Lanius_. They were all here.

As Arcade and Cass did their best to take down legionaries, Rhia aimed her sniper rifle at the NCR soldiers who got too close to the Legion's line of fire – the Strip was so chaotic by now, that neither Cass nor Arcade noticed as Rhia felled soldier after soldier.

When the battle was over and the legionaries had started to gather up prisoners, storming building after building, Cass had already gone through ten different stages of panic. Arcade was completely silent, lying on his stomach and watching the havoc ripping through New Vegas.

"What the fuck do we do now? Do we surrender?" Cass hissed in a whisper.

"I suppose so", Arcade sighed.

Rhia remained silent and watched the legionaries work, waiting for the rest of the commanders and officers to emerge from the back-lines, still gathering up the surviving pieces of Freeside. There had been rumors that even though the Legion had won the battle of Hoover Dam, Caesar was dead. Rhia hadn't been able to confirm it, but the news would hardly surprise her and if they turned out to be true, she wasn't exactly devastated.

As Rhia rose to her feat and started to climb down the railing, Cass tried to grab her, pulling her back up, hissing and gesticulating, trying her best to communicate through her eyes.

"Are you trying to commit suicide? The Monster of the East is standing right there", Cass hissed through her teeth. Rhia landed with her feet on the ground in front of the Ultra-Luxe, looking up at Cass and Arcade, pulling up a pistol in each hand and aiming at them both as they looked down at her over the edge of the roof.

"I am so sorry, but I tried to warn you, I tried to make you run-", Rhia was interrupted by Cass who stared at her in terror with wide eyes. Arcade simply pulled his hands through his hair and sighed with devastation.

"What. The. Fuck. Have. You. Done?" Cass said, staring down at Rhia with her long curly red hair hanging down over her shoulders. "You lying bitch! You conniving Legion whore!"

"Legate Lanius", Rhia shouted, without taking her eyes of Cass and Arcade, "Et in captivitatem. Doctorem, impurus est et mulier"

Lanius turned and started to walk towards Rhia and Cass's eyes widened even farther, as if it was even possible.

"Salve, Domitia", Lanius vibrating deep voice sounded behind Rhia. "So this is where you have been hiding out. Vulpes will be pleased to know you have survived"

"And I assume you are not as glad, Legate?" Rhia couldn't help but to smirk slightly when Lanius grunted behind her.

"What the fuck are you to saying to each other?" Cass spat in horror. "Since _when_ do you speak fucking Latin, Rhia?"

"It seems she is fluent", Arcade sighed. "Her friend here just told her that, who I assume to be Vulpes Inculta, will be pleased to know that Rhia is alive"

"Vulpes Inculta? Wait, what!?" Cass looked like she was about to faint from terror, rage or just simple disbelief. If Rhia had actually taken somewhat of a liking to the degenerated redhead, she would have felt pity.

Lanius gesticulated for some legionaries to fetch Cass and Arcade and bring them down from the roof and secure their weapons.

"The redhead needs to be searched _everywhere_ ", Rhia said in English to Lanius, "Sorry, Cass" Cass answered by spitting at Rhia, which quickly earned her the hilt of a machete to the head before practically being thrown of the roof.

Rhia turned around and wiped the spit of her face and was met by the sight of her husband nonchalantly walking towards her, clad in his vexillarius helmet and road goggles. He had the same stoic appearance as he always had, but he seemed to be without wounds or any kind of damage, except some blood on his armor, which didn't seem to belong to him.

"Salve, marita", Vulpes nodded towards her and touched her shoulder gently. "Are you unscathed?"

"Etiam, vir meus", Rhia clasped one of Vulpes hands and kissed it, _decorum_ – no matter the circumstances. Who wants a slave collar, right?

"It pleases me greatly, amica mea", Vulpes said in a low voice as he leaned in towards her and stroked her neck from under her long hair. He then backed away quickly and seemed to focus on Cass and Arcade "I see you have prisoners, and Arcade Gannon, nonetheless, very good. We need him for a special assignment. Make sure he's not hurt, the other one…well, throw her in the slave pen for now".

"Etiam, Frumentarius Inculta", a legionary nodded and pulled Cass and Arcade away.

"Now, we need to secure the perimeter and the buildings. Rhia, you come with me in the meantime", Vulpes grabbed Rhia's neck and started to walk towards the NCR embassy.

* * *

Ex oculis mente – Out if sight, out of mind

Maxima gloria – Maximal glory

Sed fortuna, quae plurimum potest cum in reliquis rebus tum praecipue in bello, parvis momentis magnas rerum commutationes efficit, ut tum accidit - Fortune, which has a great deal of power in other matters but especially in war, can bring about great changes in a situation through very slight forces (Julius Caesar)

Et in captivitatem. Doctorem, impurus est et mulier – I have prisoners. One doctor and one profligate woman

Etiam - Yes


	7. Chapter 7

"So, what? You're Inculta's personal slave? His mistress?" Arcade looked at Rhia with despise in his eyes. He had been placed in one of the medical tents in the Old Mormon Fort, supervising slaves such as Siri, who took care of the injured.

"Yes, more or less", Rhia looked up at her now former friend, if he could ever have been counted as her friend. She had met him while undercover at the Followers of the Apocalypse's medical station in Freeside, they had soon started talking and found each other pleasant enough, and before Rhia knew it, they were friends. She was only supposed to gather information, but these sort of things happened. It was inevitable, really. Arcade was a levelheaded individual, very educated and philosophical, which Rhia appreciated and took solace in, as she missed Vulpes when she worked alone in New Vegas. Arcade and Rhia had been drawn to each other through their ever developing discussions and Rhia found it somewhat strange that eventually, he didn't suspect anything about her loyalties. But she supposed it was a sign of her professionalism.

"But he referred to you as marita? You're married to him, aren't you?" Arcade frowned and fidgeted in annoyance with a syringe. "You were forced, weren't you?"

"Arcade…", Rhia sighed. Arcade looked up at her again and put the syringe down. "I was taken, yes, captured. But I was treated well from the beginning, well sure, there were some problems with the difference in culture and expectations – but soon I found myself very much at home with Vulpes. He didn't force me into a marriage with him, he asked and I answered"

"And you knew about _them_ , what they do?" Arcade had to push down a sob as he looked into Rhia's large, black eyes. They weren't blank and empty as slaves eyes so often were, they were full of life, even though right now, they were gleaming with what he could only interpret as some form of pity.

"Vulpes caught me just before Nipton, I was there", Rhia looked into Arcades eyes, showing as little emotion as she could. It wouldn't do any good if she accidentally smiled. "I told him that he was disgusting, but I soon realized the necessity of their actions against the degenerates of Nipton. They were prepared to sell their loved ones into slavery to save their own skin. They were hypocrites"

"And camp Searchlight? That was your _husband's_ doing as well, were they hypocrites as well?" Arcade spat in anger and pierced Rhia with his stare.

"That was warfare", Rhia retorted casually and shrugged her shoulders. "You know very well how it works. Had the NCR had the chance, they would have done the same to us"

"It was _mass murder_ "

"It was warfare", Rhia smiled and Arcade flinched at the sight of her curved lips.

"Rhia, I don't get it. You're a smart girl, independent and with an incredible mind of your own, how can you even begin to accept and agree to the actions of these people? Are you completely brain-washed?"

"To you, perhaps I am", Rhia leaned back against the table behind her and took a deep breath. "The Legion lives according to a culture so vastly different from the one of New Vegas and the Wasteland at large and of course it has its flaws, every society does. But you have to look beyond the immediate actions and to the greater good"

"It sounds like fascism to me", muttered Arcade and cast accusing glances at Rhia.

"Well, that's because it _is_ fascism, Arcade", Rhia rolled her eyes. "The beginning stages of Caesar's ideology has to be totalitarian, otherwise there would be no difference, there wouldn't be any changes in the way people view society"

"So the slaves, the violence and the misogyny are just a phase? That's what you're saying?"

"The violence, yes. The slaves and misogyny are a part of the ideology, based upon the natural order of things"

"Are you kidding me? This is so absurd I don't even know what to say", Arcade turned around and rubbed his temples.

"I find it interesting that someone with such close ties to the organization who blew the world up, act so judgmental when it comes to harsh ideologies", Rhia mused with just a pinch of amusement.

"Excuse me?" Arcade turned around again, eyes wide.

"The Enclave is no different from the Legion, perhaps even worse, since they've had several hundred years to do right by their _mistakes_. And have they?" Rhia snorted.

"How do you even know about that?"

"Please, Arcade, I'm married to the head of the Frumentarii", Rhia rolled her eyes. "I've been collecting information for the Legion for almost a year, I'm a spy. Remember?"

Arcade groaned before sighing loud out of irritation. "You've been completely brain-washed. Haven't you heard of the Stockholm syndrome?"

"The what now?" Rhia arched a brow and crossed her arms over her chest with a smile on her lips. "Why, Arcade, are you so set on telling me that I can't have made my own decision about staying with the Legion?"

"Because _no one_ does, Rhia. What, Vulpes would just let you leave if you wanted to?"

"No, of course not. But I don't want to. I've had plenty opportunity to run, to hide and to leave him, but I haven't. I haven't even thought about it, not since I met him the first time"

"Aw, how sweet – true romance", Arcade rolled his eyes sarcastically.

"Mocking does not become you, you know", Rhia moved away from the table. "Now, be a good boy and keep working and I'm sure you'll soon feel at home with us"

Arcade snorted with narrowed eyes and watched as Rhia left the medical tent.

The last of the most fierce and defiant men belonging to the NCR had been executed in various ways as the Legion took complete control of the Strip, they quickly assembled an arena for methods of execution, but also the favored gladiator-games that entertained the troops. Crucifixion was still the most common way to die as an enemy of Caesar, but some Legionaries had been able to catch some deathclaws and it was nothing short of good fun for the red soldiers to watch NCR-soldiers die torn up and bloodied trying to fistfight against the mutated monsters.

The few citizen's of New Vegas had capitulated quickly and were therefore shown mercy and could continue their lives, now as citizen's of what was to be Caesar's new Capital. The rebuilding of New Vegas had started immediately and both male and female slaves, former NCR-soldiers and others were forced into manual labor, blowing up redundant buildings and constructing new ones. Slaves were brought in from as far as Flagstaff and from other tribal settlements conquered by the Legion and Caesar made his own pristine home in the Lucky 38, only after the entire casino were rid of anything reminding of its former degenerate history. Vulpes and Rhia made their home on the 13th floor of the Tops casino, together with the other residing Frumentarii in New Vegas, it became the Frumentarii headquarters and while Rhia wasn't a soldier officially _in_ the Legion, as she was a woman, she was still married to Vulpes and therefore lived where he lived.

The streets of New Vegas and Freeside was littered with red tents and barracks were being built to accommodate the still remaining large army and soon other citizens from the lands held by the Legion was starting to emigrate to New Vegas to build up the city from the ground. It was a beautiful sight, Rhia thought, as she strolled down the Strip, quietly watching the development. She couldn't help but to long for Flagstaff, even though New Vegas was being transformed into something less filthy. But she knew that there were to be a long time before she would be able to go back there, if ever. Vulpes seemed content with staying in New Vegas and as usual his sole focus was on his own work, there was still plenty that needed to be done, securing the borders and assess the neighboring settlements that weren't a part of Legion-lands.

Rhia however, was no longer expected to work within the Frumentarii unless until they yet again found themselves in a state of war. There would be months, years until that happened. Caesar's Legion needed to rebuild the losses from the war with the NCR and strengthen their complete and total hold over the Mojave. What Rhia was supposed to do now, was the usual duties of a wife. She was supposed to clean, laundry and cook, entertain and birth sons to Vulpes. She had been content with that, before Vulpes started using her in their war. Now, she had gotten a taste for being useful in more ways than just being a breeding machine that provided the man she belonged to with clean and whole clothes and warm food once a day.

A few weeks after they had settled in properly in New Vegas, two praetorian guards came to Rhia and Vulpes' suite at the Frumentarii head quarters and collected her, escorted her out of the Strip and through Freeside. When they were close to what was now the medical center, the Old Mormon Fort, the former settlement of the Followers of the Apocalypse, she heard Arcade's raised voice, it was arguing and sounded extremely upset. When Rhia arrived in the medical center behind the large stonewalls she saw Arcade gesticulating fiercely towards Vulpes and a group of what looked like recruits and Lucius who stood to the side, slightly behind Vulpes. Arcade was red with anger, but Vulpes showed no emotion as he stood with arms crossed over his chest listening to Arcades raging accompanied with wild gesticulation.

Rhia was brought to Lucius who took her in a hard grip and led her forward to Vulpes who ignored her presence. From what Rhia could understand from the little she had been able to hear from their argument, it was connected to something with Caesar. Suddenly, Vulpes backhanded Rhia so hard she fell back against Lucius chest and Lucius hands grabbed her upper arms hard and help her up on her feet.

"What the fuck are you doing!? What kind of _monster are you_?" Arcade screamed as Rhia could feel the warmth of her blood running down from her nose over her lips. Vulpes said nothing and as Arcade continued to scream, Vulpes struck Rhia again, and again, and again. Rhia said nothing, but simply tried to close the pain and humiliation out. As if it wasn't bad enough to be beaten in public by her husband, it was worse in front of Arcade. She had nothing to prove to the Legion, but Arcade never missed a chance to criticize her about her loyalty to Caesar and her husband.

"Okay, okay!" Arcade held his hands up and backed off slightly, Vulpes had used his good nature against him. Arcade may despise Rhia after her betrayal, but he could never stand to stand back and watch torture, no matter how much he hated the person being put through it. Vulpes knew this, as did Rhia. "Please, stop! You're going to kill her!"

Vulpes smiled slyly and grabbed Rhia by her long hair from the grips of Lucius and dragged her close to Arcade, chocking her with a firm grip around her neck. "You should know by now, you profligate sodomite, that the welfare of the Legion goes beyond any of my own personal comforts. Should Caesar die due to an _accident_ during the operation, my wife here as well as that drunken redheaded whore, will face a very slow and painful death at the hands of yourself and I will make sure you live for as long as possible, suffering with the knowledge that you killed the only persons left in this shithole of a wasteland that actually cared about you"

Vulpes then leaned in and kissed Rhia's bloodied forehead gently before licking the blood of his lips. "Do we understand each other, Arcade Gannon?" said Vulpes while Rhia was starting to pant with gurgling sounds for air.

"Yes! Yes! Just, let go of her!" Arcade shouted and covered his face with his hands.

Vulpes threw Rhia backwards into the arms of a recruit and before he turned and left, he said in his vibrating but emotionless voice, "Make sure my wife's wounds are taken care of and test her for pregnancy, she hasn't bled in months. Salve, marita, medicus"

As Arcade saw to her beaten up face, he said nothing but remained silent. She could feel he wanted to scold her, to tell her that he had told her so and that this was more or less her own fault. But he didn't, and Rhia couldn't even see if there was pity in his eyes as he cared for her, her eyes were too swollen from Vulpes fists. From what she could estimate from the aching and throbbing pain, her nose was broken and her lip split in at least one place. Her right temple burned with intensity and her throat felt sore and she could hardly get a word out.

"Don't-", she heard Arcade said as she could feel a cold sweaty hand on her shoulder as she had tried to move her lips into forming a word, "Rest your voice, for now"

"He…", Rhia rasped, "He didn't hit my belly…Did he?"

"How could you even-" Arcade sighed and she felt a cold wind brush her as he moved away from her. "You're not with child, Rhia. At least I don't believe you are, but I can't make a perfectly accurate test until it more or less shows"

"Okay", answered Rhia in a faint voice, "Thank you, Arcade"

"Now rest, I'll give you something soothing"

The next morning Rhia woke up in the suit she and Vulpes shared, but she was alone and it seemed as if Vulpes had not slept in their bed during the night. Her vision was still very blurry, but the swollenness of her eyes had gone down somewhat during the night and as she got to her feet and made her way into the bathroom and the mirror, she could make out the results of yesterdays manhandling. Her long wavy hair with curls in the tops was tousled and still had clogged blood in it, her face was almost unrecognizable. She had never seen herself this beaten up before, _and she had been shot in the head before_. It was a disturbing thing to be confronted with. She started from the meek voice of a female standing in the doorway asking if Rhia wanted her to draw up a bath for her. Rhia nodded and the girl quickly moved behind her and filled the tub with hot water. Rhia kept looking over her face and she could feel tears burning up behind her eyes, but she tried to press them back.

Vulpes had done this as a mean to blackmail Arcade into helping the Legion, as from what it had sounded like when they argued yesterday. His duty was to the Legion as well as her own, this was a necessary sacrifice she had to make, she had to put her trust to Vulpes, that he knew what he was doing. He had beaten her before, many times and this wasn't anything new – but he had never beaten her this severely.

The slave helped her wash her hair and scrub her sore body. Vulpes had only punched her face, possibly too afraid to terminate a pregnancy if he mangled her body as well. But her body still ached from the pain from her face and the sheer exhaustion.

Rhia heard feet approach and the slave stood up suddenly, looking at her own feet.

"Leave", Vulpes voice sounded and the slave quickly complied and was gone from the suit within seconds. He looked down on her naked body in the bath for a short moment, remaining silent.

"Vir meus", Rhia said without looking up at him. Vulpes sat down on the floor beside the bath.

"Caesar has a brain tumor, Arcade is the only one we have that can preform a surgery that would save him. I needed leverage", said Vulpes and stared emotionlessly in front of him. "I apologize, try to look on it as doing your duty to your Lord"

"You could have told me", Rhia spat silently, still not looking at Vulpes.

"I could not"

"And why the fuck not?" Rhia frowned as best she could in her swollen state.

"Language, marita", Vulpes sighed in a tired way.

"Fuck you"

Vulpes grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him, "I don't care how ugly my beatings makes you. Believe me, _Domitia_ , I will not hesitate to strike you until you've got no flesh left in that pretty face of yours". Rhia hissed and jerked her sore face away from his grip. "Arcade would have noticed if you knew. I needed him to take the situation seriously"

Rhia didn't answer and soon Vulpes rose to his full height and stroked her damp hair, looking down at her with a gentleness seldom visible in his cold sharp eyes. "I love you, amica mea. But my duty comes before everything else, you'll just have to live with that", _if I live_ _long enough_ , Rhia thought to herself.

Then he left again and soon after the slave returned and continued helping Rhia with her toiletries.

Rhia tucked herself down into the bed again after her bath, sipping on a Sunset Sarsaparilla and reading an old-world fashion magazine that had been found in the Ultra-Luxe when the Legion had cleared it out. She enjoyed the cool breeze of the air-condition and soon she dozed off into a comfortable sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

This was a mistake, this was such a big fucking fucked up mistake. What the hell was she doing? Did she even think this through? Of course she hadn't, she often just _did_ shit, flowed with whatever happened. The last year, she had relied completely on her husband and just went along with everything the Legion demanded, what Caesar had demanded. And it had led to what, exactly? It had fucked her over completely – she must truly be brain-damaged, how could she love a man that treated her like _he_ did?

And she did love him, she loved him so goddamn much she wanted to scream into the desert surrounding her. She wanted to tare all her hair out, scream and swear, shot things, kill and wreck mayhem over how _fucking_ stupid she'd been.

It really was her own fault, there was something wrong with her in so, oh so many, ways. The fact that she couldn't seem to become pregnant, the fact that she couldn't fucking control her temper, the fact that she loved a monster – a fucking tyrant, wife beating misogynist who would now hunt her down and fucking kill her.

If she had stayed, he might have just killed her in a normal way, beating her to death, strangling her in the tub or whatever. Now, now she didn't even want to think about what he was going to do. She had run. Why had she run? She didn't even truly know. If it weren't for the constant beatings, she would have been content. But it was always something wrong. When her _lord husband_ finally realized it would be harder than he thought to impregnate her, he'd taken a mistress. Fucking liar. She always knew he was a liar, she knew he was a cunning, lying bastard who _enjoyed_ two-timing her, because it _humiliated_ her and he loved to humiliate her.

But was he a bad husband? Arcade screamed _YES, he's the worst possible husband in every possible way you stupid bitch_. But Rhia didn't think so. He was bad, in some ways, but also gentle and kind, but destroyed. Destroyed by the corrupting power he held. No, Arcade said, he's not destroyed, he's just a sadistic psychopathic maniac who's brainwashed you into loving him.

Rhia knew, as she struggled against the thick sandstorms in the desert leading her closer to Utah, closer to Zion, that _he_ would find her. She couldn't escape her husband, mainly because she didn't really want to escape him. At the same time she did, but she couldn't. He would come after her and all that she could do, instead of just laying herself down on the ground and wait for either the desert to drain her of all fluids or Vulpes so drag her back to New Vegas or Flagstaff by her hair, was continue to run. Perhaps she could find her salvation in Zion, perhaps the Burned Man would be simply another one of all the people who could and would kill her.

She was the runaway wife of the Monster of the Mojave, making her way towards the Malpais Legate. She was definitely and utterly fucking brain-damaged.

Vulpes had turned cold, he seldom came home after he had beaten her in front of Arcade, in stead Arcade came on visits to their suite to make sure Rhia ate as she should. She didn't, not really. She could move about as she pleased in New Vegas, but she didn't – she kept herself in their apartment, licking her wounds. Her face had started to return to its normal state of not being beaten black and blue, but Rhia didn't feel like going out, meeting the faces of the legionaries who watched Vulpes beat her with such ferocity. Not that they really cared or even judged her for it, some of the younger men had even had a hint of pity in their eyes as they watched her on one of her few strolls outside of the suite. And Caesar, he was in such a bad state nobody dared talk about it and her husband certainly didn't, the few times he actually came home. In fact, he didn't say much at all when he was at home with her, except "Get on your knees", "Shut up", "Suck".

She believed him to be stressed, but first and foremost, she believed he was annoyed due to what seemed to be an inability to become pregnant. She had been a housewife for almost four months now and they had been having unprotected sex for a year and a half, without any results – and Vulpes had children since before, with slaves, so it was certain it wasn't his fault.

Rhia felt ashamed, she was good at so many other things, education, housework, gathering intelligence and even killing things, fighting. But apparently the gods had not deemed her fit enough to bare the children of the man she loved more than anything else in this utter shithole of a world. _Slaves_ were fit enough, but not she.

She fell deeper and deeper into a melancholy, which had the effect that she spoke less and less – and Vulpes seemed to lose his interest in her, as she sank deeper into what Arcade described as depression. _It's your own fault, you should have escaped. You knew who and what he is, what he does. You've sacrificed everything for a devil who doesn't even have the decency to pretend he's not evil._

The thing was, Rhia didn't necessary see it as being evil – from Arcade's perspective it was definitely evil and she didn't blame him exactly for being of that opinion. But was it worth it? When Rhia had seen her own beaten face, she had felt doubt for the first time since Vulpes had captured her. He must have been right all along, she wasn't right in the head. Because no matter how mean he became, she gladly did all he asked – she would have shot herself if he asked her to, because he knew best. He was her husband, how could he not know better? And he allowed her such lenience, such freedom no other wives had who was married to men of his station. He had even made sure she had a pool in the garden in the back of the Tops casino – secluded and only for her, since she missed the pool in their house in Flagstaff so much. But still, he didn't even flinch when he beat her to the bone in one of his _tactical_ fits of rage.

She had to do something, had to come to some sort of decision about what she wanted to do with herself, with her life. It was becoming more and more obvious she was completely useless, unless there was a war going on. Vulpes now only slept in their home two or three nights a week, she didn't ask about where he spent the other nights, since she knew he was here in Vegas. She had cried, cried until she didn't cry anymore – until the tears just stopped flowing down her cheeks. She dressed up when she was supposed to, when there was some sort of special event within the higher ranks where she as a wife needed to show up and be beside her husband. _Put on a good show_. Vulpes would still be gentle with her, sometimes – but during the last months, she could count those occasions on one of her hands.

So she started collecting things, small things, so she could leave. So she could run. She had to be careful and not alert Vulpes that she was up to something, that she planned to leave him – leave everyone. She had no idea what had happened to Cass, and Arcade, well, he served Caesar and was as she had thought, well off. Rhia was an egotistical asshole, she knew that – she'd always known what she was, and that was also why she had to leave. Vulpes had never been able to completely break her – put her into a state of melancholy, it had never been his intention. He wanted her spirited, he liked her temper, since it made it so much easier and, as Rhia suspected, much more rewarding, to manhandle her.

But she felt broken. She couldn't take it anymore. He'd fucked her over completely.

"Rhia!"

Rhia looked up from her book as she lay in the couch in the living room of the large suite, reading and more or less just wasting her time. Lucius had come by earlier during the day with a few new books for her to read. Apparently his wife had asked about Rhia, since she hadn't left the suite in almost a week and seeing as Lucius was what you could call a kind man, by legion standards, anyway, he had taken some time to check up on her.

On the outside, Rhia looked healthy. She had become a bit pale from spending so much time indoors, something that hadn't gone unnoticed by her husband, who seemed to appreciate it. He didn't like women with too dark skin, preferred them as pale as possible, for some reason. Rhia didn't mind, in fact, it made her happy. Even though she was conspiring to leaving her husband, she couldn't help the spark of hope and excitement that sprung up within her, as Vulpes complemented her. It stirred dualistic emotions within her and she hated it. He hated that she loved him so much and she hated that she felt the need to leave.

"Maritus", said Rhia in a hoarse voice. "You're home early"

Vulpes shrugged as he clipped off the shoulder-pieces of his armor, followed by the rest until he stood only in his tunic, greaves and boots.

"You hungry? Want me to make you something?" she asked, following her husband with her eyes as he moved closer to her, finally lumping down into the couch just next to her feet. When he didn't answer, she went back to reading her book, soon enough, however, she felt his icy eyes on her and in the corner of her eye, she could see his shifted face looking her way. His angelic dark curls had become longer now, falling down in his face, if he didn't draw them back over his head. Was it some sort of punishment? Making a man like him, evil incarnate, so heavenly beautiful? His chiseled roman nose, those high cheekbones, together with slightly bronzed skin, icy eyes and full, at times almost perky, lips.

She put her book down and looked back at him. "What is it, Vulpes?"

"Can't a husband come home to his wife without being questioned?" he finally retorted in a stiff voice, shooting her icy arrows through his eyes.

"I didn't mean to question you, my love, I only wish to know if there's something you require. If there's anything I can do for you"

Vulpes only hummed slightly before removing his gaze from her, instead moving her feet unto his lap and stroking them gently, in an almost absentminded way. Was he acting strangely? Rhia thought to herself as she rested her eyes on her husband. He sat relaxed, deeply in the couch, stroking his hands over her feet and up her chins, breathing evenly as he always did.

"Sometimes", he began speaking in his vibrant voice, no longer strained, but almost wickedly soothing, as it was when he was in his more manipulative moods – not that he wasn't always manipulative – sometimes he used it as a mere pastime. "I feel as if the Gods have cursed me"

Rhia remained silent, looking at him and he kept running his calloused fingers over her curvy legs. Her months of inactivity had made her gain some weight, which resulted in her already curvaceous body becoming even fuller. Vulpes had seemed to appreciate it, her softer shapes, the way she filled out her dresses – _you almost look pre-war like that_ , he had said one night just before they headed out for one of the officer-dinners.

"I do everything in my power to preform my duties, to my Lord, to the gods, to my wife", he continued. "Perhaps it is not enough. But why should the gods see fit to punish me? Do I not perform the right sacrifices?"

"Why are you asking me this, maritus?"

Vulpes turned towards her again, watching her with hard eyes, his iris's moving just slightly following her own eyes and their movements. "You are my wife, Rhiannon. No one knows me as well as you do", he said. _Oh, please_ , Rhia thought to herself as she felt her eyes narrowing. "Tell me, what is it that I am doing, that would invoke the rage of the gods upon me?"

What was she supposed to answer? The truth? _You're a horrible man who beats your wife, rapes slaves, murders and pillages, takes a slave mistress, takes a wife and makes her your slave. You torture innocents and those you claim to love, you humiliate me in front of others and perhaps worst of all, you betray me_.

"I do not believe the gods are angry with you", said Rhia and sat up so she could reach Vulpes' shoulder and feel the oozing warmth of his skin under the deeply red tunic. "What I do know, is that you're tired, my love. You've lived through several wars without even allowing yourself to breathe in between"

Vulpes snorted as he clasped Rhia's face with his large hand, stroking her cheekbone with his thumb and she could feel his hot breath against her chin and collarbone. She separated her lips as his mouth drew closer to hers, waiting for him to collide with her and in what seemed like the longest seconds ever, she only felt him breathing. She felt his touch and the vibrations of his very being. It was horrible, only because she knew – she fucking _knew_ – that she'd never love anyone this much, ever again. Vulpes might take other wives, but she could never marry again. She was lost in him, lost in her love for a man who was nothing more than a violent megalomaniac.

Their lips collided in almost feverish kisses, wet and needing, desperate and passionate, as Rhia's hands pulled herself closer to the man she was forever bound to. Vulpes' arms curled around her waist and torso, claiming her and keeping her as close to him as possible. His touch was soft, but determined, loving but at the same time demanding.

"Make love to me, _please_ ", she whispered and drew her hands through is dark tousled hair. "I need you, I really _need_ you"

He didn't answer, there was no need as he gently pushed himself over her in the couch, settling between her legs and letting her body embrace him.

* * *

Maritus – husband


End file.
